Fall Walking Goals: 10 Easy Ways to Stay Active

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year for walking. Though I always look forward to shedding winter layers and seeing budding flowers in the spring, fall is the perfect time for a walk. The morning air is crisp and cooler—and so very refreshing after another sweaty summer. The leaves are turning vibrant colors. And there’s just nothing like the smell of fall. Not only that, but after the constant chaos of summer, it’s just nice to be able to slip back into a regular routine.

If you’re still working on getting back into your walking routine—and you need a little help staying consistent—some simple (and fun!) goals can help you stay on track.

Here are some fall walking goals to inspire you to keep moving:

1) Morning Mile

Once a week—whether it’s the same day every week or different days to fit your fall schedule—start your day with a short walk before work, school, or whatever else the day has in store. Those cooler morning temperatures make morning walks more refreshing—and it’ll make you feel energized and ready to take on the day.

2) Bring a Friend

Once a week, schedule a walk with a walking buddy. It’s the perfect time to catch up with an old friend or get out of the house with your spouse. If you’ve got a walking buddy who wants to meet up every week, even better! Having an accountability partner can help you both stay consistent—and the conversation will make the miles fly by.

3) Chase the Leaves

I love taking notice of the changing colors on the trail during this time of year. One year, I decided to document one particular tree along one of my favorite paths. Each time I walked on that trail, I took a picture, documenting the tree from the first hints of changing colors to vibrant fall colors to empty branches.

This fall, pick one tree-lined path to visit each week. Choose a spot—a grove of trees or even one specific tree—and take a picture each time you walk. By the end of fall, you’ll have a beautiful fall time lapse to share.

4) Step Up Your Strength

Walking is great exercise—but it’s important to mix in some strength training. If you don’t have a gym membership—and you want to multitask your workouts—you can easily combine strength and cardio by incorporating strength breaks into your daily walk. After every 5-10 minutes of your walk, pause to do some kind of strength exercise. You can 10-15 squats or 10-15 step-ups by a bench. Or 10 lunges per leg. Or 15-20 calf raises. Start easy and gradually increase your reps throughout the fall.

5) Check Your Tech

There’s a pretty good chance that you have multiple ways of tracking your daily step count—from a smart watch or fitness tracker to your favorite phone apps. These devices may feel commonplace now, but they can also be surprisingly motivating. Set a realistic daily step goal, choose your favorite device or app, and check in throughout the day to watch that step count climb!

6) Set a Pumpkin Route

As fall approaches (and especially as we get closer to Halloween), I love seeing the decorations pop up in the neighborhoods near my favorite trail. To fully immerse yourself in the fall fun, create your own fall path to walk at least once each week. Choose a path that passes the best decorations…or a pumpkin patch…or even a coffee shop or bakery with seasonal treats. Feel free to treat yourself while enjoying the sights and smells (and flavors) of fall.

7) Capture the Season

I love sharing moments from my daily walk. Each day, something will catch my eye. It might be a fun decoration in front of someone’s house. It might be a family of deer or an appearance by the elusive white squirrel. It might just be the way the morning sun shines through the trees or a vibrant tree. Whatever it is, I’ll capture that one moment from my day—and, most of the time, I’ll share it on social media. Make it a goal for this fall: capture a moment on your daily walk (or maybe once a week to start) and share it.

8) Engage All of Your Senses

Fall is the perfect time for a full-sensory experience. Once a week, take yourself on a 5 Senses Walk—and take the time to notice one thing you see, smell, hear, touch, and taste (maybe try a fall-flavored coffee afterwards; I do not recommend tasting the plants on the trail). Not only will it help you appreciate all of the seasonal changes, but it’ll connect you to something other than the chaos of your daily life.

9) Plan a Fall Walking Adventure

Fall is the perfect time to set out on a longer, scenic walk. Take a look at your busy schedule and set aside one open day for a fall adventure. You can visit a local park or nature preserve. Or stroll through the city streets for the day. Or plan a road trip to a popular hiking trail. Take in the fall sights and sounds and smells—then enjoy some fall flavors by stopping for a treat, too!

10) Finish Strong

It’s easier to stay motivated if you’re working toward something. So set a bigger fall goal for yourself—whether it’s participating in a Thanksgiving turkey trot or walking a certain number of miles by Black Friday. Be sure to celebrate when you achieve your goals!

Whatever goals you choose to set for the fall, remember that the most important thing is showing up. So, this fall, make a point of moving each day—even a little bit—and enjoying every experience that fall has to offer.